Business Directories

AlJazeera inks Newtec solutions deal

Doha, August 31, 2011

Global broadcaster Aljazeera Sports Channels said it has tied up with satellite communication specialist Newtec and the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU) to receive its multimedia content.

As per the deal, AlJazeera will use the award-winning technology from Newtec to receive TV and data from key sporting events.

The Doha-based broadcaster has invested in several Multimedia Exchange Network over Satellite (Menos) TV interactive terminals from Newtec.

The Menos network is a revolutionary all-IP solution for exchanging multimedia content over satellite and is operated by the ASBU. It enables fully automated, cost-effective sharing of video and radio content among scattered sites.

The ASBU Menos network is jointly operated with Arabsat utilising their satellite capacity.

Slaheddine Maaoui, ASBU director general, said: "For the first time Aljazeera will be benefitting from the ASBU-Menos network we successfully operate. We are pleased to continue our ongoing cooperation with Al-Jazeera in this vital project for the Arab region."

"We are constantly looking at ways to improve technology and services. Thanks to the MENOS network there is now a professional broadcast exchange network ensuring a high quality service to our members, as well as other broadcasters in the region," he noted.

The TV Satellite Interactive Terminals (SIT) will be provisioned in the ASBU network, utilising Arabsat satellite capacity. In addition to installing the terminals, Newtec will also be training Aljazeera staff and providing professional service training, he added.

Serge Van Herck, CEO of Newtec described Menos as a revolutionary networking concept.

"It has been designed to provide not only the fastest and most cost-effective technology for exchanging media content, but also a complete range of tools to facilitate related coordination tasks and people collaboration across the network," he added.

Newtec installed its Menos multimedia concept at the ASBU facility in Algiers in 2008.-TradeArabia News Service